


Into the Sunshine

by PFL (msmoat)



Series: Pirates [3]
Category: The Professionals
Genre: M/M, Older Lads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-01
Updated: 2008-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-10 17:31:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/468871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmoat/pseuds/PFL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twenty-five years have gone by since the night of "Three Bells."  It's time for the pirates to retire.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Into the Sunshine

  
_Doyle: "Can this stand the light of day?"  
Bodie: "They can't ever get us here."_

 

"You can't resign!"

Doyle let a slight smile escape, but he had nothing to say as he and the Minister walked down the stairs of the building in Whitehall.

"Doyle!" Harrison placed a hand on his arm to stop him.

Doyle turned to him. "I told you when I took this job it would be temporary. My time's up. Nelson will make an excellent controller for the latest version of CI5."

"He's not you." Harrison's habitually discontented expression took on an added severity.

"For which I am sure he is grateful. Peter, you knew this day would come. I'm done with it. In two weeks Nelson will take over and I am taking a long overdue holiday."

"Which you deserve, of course. Just now, however, is not a good time."

"No. I've resigned." Doyle started down the stairs again.

"Your country needs you." Harrison kept in step with him.

"My country's had enough of me."

Harrison said nothing as they reached the first floor, but as they approached the main entry he stopped Doyle once more. "Doyle. The Prime Minister has asked me to personally ask you to wait. Just for another month or two. Just until this latest terrorist threat has been dealt with."

Doyle looked at him. "There is no good time. There will always be another crisis. Nelson is ready."

"Damn." Harrison ran a hand through his hair. "Well. Perhaps with Bodie there--"

"Bodie left a month ago."

Harrison stared at him. "What?"

Doyle smiled. "You really should read the memos I send you."

"But...good God. You can't do this!"

"It's done. It will be official in two weeks. Accept it." Doyle nodded at him, and headed for the door. It was flattering that the government was dismayed at his resignation. But he knew it had more to do with maintaining the status quo than confidence in him. They'd certainly had reservations when he was appointed to oversee the rebuilding of CI5. That job was finished. It was time for Nelson to take over and run the organisation as he saw fit--without Bodie and him watching every move.

A few drops of rain fell as he stepped outside. Wonderful. Just what he needed. He squinted up at the sky. Maybe a glare would make it stop.

"Doyle!"

Doyle closed his eyes. Had he thought this would be simple?

Harrison stood in front of him, looking as sincere as a clergyman beseeching his flock. It was an act that had served him well in his career. "Ray. You know what's going on, how delicate the situation is right now."

"Are you interested in the security of the country or your--and the Prime Minister's--political position?"

"We've gone out on a limb re-establishing CI5, and giving it the powers it used to have."

"Then show you've actually got as much faith in the organisation as you publicly say you do."

"An organisation like CI5 rises and falls with the man in charge. There's a reason George Cowley was a legend in the service--and CI5 with him."

"No." Doyle looked away for a moment, then back at Harrison. "Cowley was amazingly effective and I admired him. I miss him more than you can know. But the fatal flaw in his version of CI5 was that it was tied to _him_. When he left, CI5 lost its direction. That's the fiasco you can't afford. CI5 must operate with maximum effectiveness regardless of the man or woman in charge."

"I agree with you. But give it a few more months before you throw Nelson to the wolves."

"That's just politics. You don't want the publicity--"

"It's not a dirty word, you know. Yes, we want to keep things quiet and stable right now. We can't afford any loss of confidence or unnecessary speculation. It's your duty, dammit."

"My...duty?" He looked around at the sound of a familiar engine and saw Bodie approaching on the bike. He'd sent his car and driver home when he'd realised how long the meeting was going to be. He and Bodie had planned a discreet weekend away with the bikes in East Anglia. The rain, if it continued, might scupper that plan.

"Yes, your duty. I don't want to force the issue, Doyle, but--"

"Then don't."

"A half year. Then we can talk about your retirement."

"I already told you no." Bodie had parked the bike and was walking towards them. And despite the argument and the rain, Doyle felt himself relax. He smiled.

"I want you to reconsider. There are people who would be...affected by your choices."

Doyle narrowed his eyes as he looked Harrison. "Is that right?"

"I told you I don't want to force the issue. But I will."

"Hello Minister. Doyle." Bodie smiled, but Doyle saw the watchfulness in his expression.

"Perhaps you can talk some sense into him, Bodie. You've known him all these years."

"Enough to know he doesn't listen to me."

Doyle considered. "Sometimes I do."

"Oh? And when would that be?"

"You said they'd put up a fight."

Bodie grinned.

"Don't look so smug. What if they win the fight?"

"I have a plan."

Doyle nodded towards Harrison. "He's just threatened retribution if I leave as planned."

"Tsk. Maladroit." Bodie shook his head.

"Lacks finesse," Doyle agreed.

"If you two are quite finished. I have an appointment I must get to. Doyle, we will continue this discussion on Monday."

"No," Bodie said. "You won't."

Harrison stared at him, and Doyle hid a smile. Harrison had never encountered the real Bodie. "Really, I don't think--"

"It's appearances you're worried about, isn't that right?"

Doyle nodded. "Got it in one, sunshine."

"Let me make it very clear, then." Bodie stepped closer to Doyle, and his eyes held a wicked laughter in them that only Doyle could see. "Would you prefer the newspapers to be discussing Nelson's qualifications, or...." Bodie leaned forward and kissed Doyle. It wasn't a quick kiss, but it was relatively chaste by their standards.

"My...for God's sake, stop!"

Bodie stepped back, and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Doyle as they faced Harrison. Doyle found he could almost feel sorry for the man.

"Interesting plan," Doyle said to Bodie. "Very persuasive."

"Action speaks louder and all that."

Harrison rubbed his forehead. "How long have you...?"

Doyle glanced at Bodie. "Twenty-five years, give or take."

"Which we do," Bodie added. Doyle resisted the urge to kick him.

"My God." Harrison glanced around around. "If this were to get out...."

"We're not eager for that either." Doyle said.

"But we're not afraid of it." Bodie folded his arms. "Your choice."

"Nelson is ready, you say?" Harrison looked at Doyle.

"Yes."

"Very well." Harrison shook his head. "This is incredible. Twenty-five _years_? And no one ever knew?"

"Cowley knew," Doyle said. "It wasn't anyone else's business.

"You're beyond discreet." Doyle could practically see the gears turning in Harrison's head. "In fact...."

"No." Doyle took a step forward. "Give this one up. We've spent twenty-five years in the shadows. We want the sunlight now." He looked at Bodie.

"We're through being pirates." Bodie's smile was just for Doyle, and the memories they shared. "Retiring, you might say."

Doyle met the gaze of the only man who mattered to him. "You were right. They never captured us."

"They couldn't. They can't. Not as long as we're together."

END

_January, 2008_

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a "time stamp" request for Angel_CI5 on LJ. She asked for "twenty-five years after "Bike Night". I, er, maybe had too much fun with it....


End file.
